Sprinkler apparatus



Aug- 3 1955 G. c. WERNER 3,198,258

SPRINKLER APPARATUS Filed Dec. 50, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l WWW Aug. 3, 1965 G. c. WERNER SPRINKLER APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed DSC. 30, 1965 IN V EN TOR. me GV/P/Jr/A/vwfm/ze United States Patent O 3,193,258 SPRINKLER APPARATUS Georg Christian Werner, 8 Hammerensgade, Copenhagen, Denmark Filed Dec. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 334,51@ Claims priority, application Denmark, Jan. 10, 1963, 104/ 63 3 tl'laixns. (Cl. 169-137) This invention relates to a sprinkler device comprising a pressure valve associated with a water conduit, a thermally responsive fusible element for releasing said Valve at a predetermined temperature, a rotation chamber within the sprinkler communicating with said valve and with a discharge aperture in the bottom face of the sprinkler, and a bale plate operatively associated with the fusible clement.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved sprinkler structure, which is extremely reliable and which can be fitted into the ceiling of a room or a cabin in such a manner that the sprinkler becomes inconspicuous and isprotected from being damaged.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical, sectional view of a sprinkler device according to the invention shown in the inoperative position thereof;

FIG. 2 is a vertical, sectional view similar to FIG. 1 showing the sprinkler device in its operative position;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section taken along the line III-III in FIG. 2.

In general, the sprinkler device comprises an upper part lil having a tubular extension 11 adapted to be screwed into the extremity of a water conduit 1, and a lower part 20 comprising a cylindrical bottom provided with an end wall 21 and adapted to be screwed on to the lower portion of the upper part 10.

The upper part 10 of the sprinkler constitutes a cylindrical housing provided at its lower end with cylindrical flange 12. The housing 1t) is further provided with a flange 13 of polygonal shape constituting a nut for mounting the housing in the water supply tube 1 in a manner to be explained in the following.

A valve seat comprising a tubular bushing 14 defining a conical passage 3 communicating with the interior 2 of the water supply pipe 1 is mounted within the upper part ofthe tubular extension 11. The lower part of the interior 4 of the tubular extension 11 extends downwardly into the body of the housing 10 and communicates with a pair of water passages 5 within said body and inclined relatively to the axis of the housing 1t). A valve member 15 provided with a packing material 15a at the upper surface thereof adjacent the valve seat 14 and with a cylindrical guiding flange 15b is mounted at the upper end 16 of a valve stem 18 carrying a baffle plate 19 at the lower end thereof and extending through a conical apertune 17 in the bottom of the housing 10. The upper end 16 of the valve stem 18 constitutes a conical obturator adapted toV close the conical aperture 17 in the lower position of the valve member 15, as shown in FIG. 2.

The cylindrical wall of the bottom 20 and the cylindrical flange 12 of the housing 10 defines an annular chamber 6 which communicates with the inclined water passages 5 and with a cylindrical chamber 8 defined by the annular ange 12 and the end wall 21 of the bottom 2t) through a pair of passages 7, arranged tangentially relatively to the inner cylindrical wall defined by the ange 12, as shown in FIG. 3.

The end wall 21 of the bottom 2l) is provided with a central aperture 9 of conical shape defining a sharp edge Z2 at the circumference of this aperture.

3,198,253 Patented Aug. 3, 1965 In the inoperative position of the sprinkler, as shown in FIG. l, the baffle plate 19 is held rmly against the end wall 21 by means of a fusible element 23, such as an alloy having a relatively low melting point, said fusible element being sandwiched in between the baffle plate 19 and the end wall 21. In this position, the valve member 15 is held firmly against the valve seat 14 thereby closing the passage 3.

The sprinkler comprising the housing 10 and the bottom casing 20 is mounted at the lower end of the water supply pipe 1 located at a distance above a ceiling structure 24 by inserting the sprinkler through a circular hole 25 in the ceiling 24 and screwing the threaded tubular extension 11 into an internal threading in the pipe 1. A box Spanner or similar tool may be introduced through the hole 25 to engage the nut 13 for tightening the screw.

The annular part of the hole 25 surrounding the bottom 20 of the sprinkler may be covered by means of a ring 26 having a vertical flange 26a embracing the cylindrical wall of the bottom 20. It Will be observed that, in the position shown in FIG. 1, the bale plate 19 is mounted substantially in iiush with the underface of the ceiling 24.

Operation' The function of the sprinkler device described and illustrated is substantially as follows:

So long as the temperature in the room below the ceiling 24 remains below a predetermined value, the fusible element 23 will hold the baffle plate 19 firmly against the end wall 21 and the valve member 15 against the seat 14. The water supply through the pipe 1 will, therefore, be obturated.

When the temperature exceeds the said predetermined value, the fusible element 23 will melt and release the baffle plate 19. The water pressure prevailing in :the pipe 1 and acting upon the valve member 15 will move the valve member into its lower position shown in FIG. 2, and simultaneously the conical obturator 16 will obturate the conical aperture 17, so that no water can flow through this aperture into the chamber 8. The downward movement of the valve member 15 is guided in the cylindrical passage 4 by the guiding flange 15b.

By virtue of the water pressure existing in the pipe 1 the water will flow through the passages 2, 3, 4 and 5 into the annular chamber 6, through the passages 7 and into the chamber 8, wherein a rotational movement of the water will be set up owing to the tangential disposition of the passages 7relatively to the internal cylindrical wall of the chamber 3. The water rotating in this chamber will escape through the aperture 9, and the sharp edge 22 thereof will cause the rotating water flow to leave the sprinkler in the shape of a substantially conical jet as indicated by a in FIG. 2.

The length of the stem 18 is determined so as to position the baffle plate 19 at such a distance from the end wall that the conical water jet expulsed from the sprinkler will be split up and atomized upon striking against the edge of the baffle plate 19, as indicated at b in FIG. 2.

By this arrangement, a mist comprising finely divided water particles will be generated by the water expulsed from the sprinkler. Simultaneously, part of the water will be projected from the edge of the baffle plate in the shape of jets directed towards the walls of the room below the ceiling, as indicated at c in FIG. 2.

Thus, the sprinkler device according to the invention will provide an extremely efficient extinction of the fire owing to the combined action of the mist generated in the room and the jets causing the water to ow down along the walls thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A sprinkler comprising a housing adapted to be a mounted adjacent a ceiling structure, said housing having a water conduit therein at one end adapted for connection to a water supply, said housing having a cylindrical water chamber therein at an opposite end, cylindrical liange means within said water chamber for dividing said water chamber into an annular chamber and a concentrically disposed inner cylindrical chamber, said llange being provided with holes arranged tangentially relative to the inner cylindrical chamber and connecting the inner cylindrical chamber with the annular chamber, said housing being further provided with passages inclined relative to the axis of said housing and communicating between said water conduit and said annular chamber, said housing having a first aperture communicating between said water conduit and said inner cylindrical chamber, and said housing also having a central aperture communicating between said inner cylindrical chamber and the exterior of said housing, a stem extending through said rst aperture and said central aperture and having a valve member located in said water conduit and having a plate exterior of said housing, said stem having one position wherein said valve mermber closes said water conduit and wherein said plate closes said central aperture, said stern having another position wherein said valve member permits communication between said water conduit and said passages but closes said rst aperture and wherein said plate permits communication between said inner cylindrical chamber and the exterior of said housing, and a fusible member sandwiched between said plate and said housing and being adapted to hold said plate tightly thereagainst and to maintain said stern in said one position, said fusible member being adapted to melt at a predetermined temperature thereby simultaneously releasing said plate from said housing and permitting said stem to move to its other Position whereby water is permitted to ow through said wa- Cil i ter conduit, through said passages, through said annular chamber, through said holes, through said inner cylindrical chamber and through said central aperture, the tangential arrangement of said holes providing a rotational `iriovem-ent to the water flowing into said inner cylindrical chamber and outwardly from said Central aperture.

2. The combination according to claim l wherein said central aperture is conical in shape, and the inner annular edge dening said central aperture is sharp.

3. The combination according to claim l wherein said central aperture is shaped so that the jet of water owing outwardly therefrom assumes a conical shape and wherein, when said stem is in its other position, said plate is positioned at such a distance from said central aperture that the conical jet of water impinges thereon to be dispersed and atomized.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 278,215 5/83 Brown 169-41 278,216 5/183 Brown 169-41 278,219 5/83 Brown 169-41 366,177 7/87 Mackey 169-41 2,055,987 9/36 Sea-t 169-41 2,434,721 1/48 Rowley 169-41 2,579,215 12/51 Te Nuyl 239-492 X FOREIGN PATENTS `684,027 9/62 Canada. 282,980 9/ 52 Switzerland.

M. HENSON WOOD, IR., Primary Examiner.

EVERETT W. KlRBY, Examiner. 

1. A SPRINKLER COMPRISING A HOUSING ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ADJACENT A CEILING STRUCTURE, SAID HOUSING HAVING A WATER CONDUIT THEREIN AT ONE END ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION TO A WATER SUPPLY, SAID HOUSING HAVING A CYLINDRICAL WATER CHAMBER THEREIN AT AN OPPOSITE END, CYLINDRICAL FLANGE MEANS WITHIN SAID WATER CHAMBER FOR DIVIDING SAID WATER CHAMBER INTO AN ANNULAR CHAMBER AND A CONCENTRICALLY DISPOSED INNER CYLINDRICAL CHAMBER, SAID FLANGE BEING PROVIDED WITH HOLES ARRANGED TANGENTIALLY RELATIVE TO THE INNER CYLINDRICAL CHAMBER AND CONNECTING THE INNER CYLINDRICAL CHAMBER WITH THE ANNULAR CHAMBER, SAID HOUSING BEING FURTHER PROVIDED WITH PASSAGES INCLINED RELATIVE TO THE AXIS OF SAID HOUSING AND COMMUNICATING BETWEEN SAID WATER CONDUIT AND SAID ANNULAR CHAMBER, SAID HOUSING HAVING A FIRST APERTURE COMMUNICATING BETWEEN SAID WATER CONDUIT AND SAID INNER CYLINDIRCAL CHAMBER, AND SAID HOUSING ALSO HAVING A CENTRAL APERTURE COMMUNICATING BETWEEN SAID INNER CYLINDRICAL CHAMBER, AND SAID WATER CONDUIT A STEM EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FIRST APERTURE AND SAID CENTRAL APERTURE AHD HAVING A VALVE MEMBER LOCATED IN SAID WATER CONDUIT AND HAVING A PLATE EXTERIOR OF SAID HOUSING, SAID STEM HAVING ONE POSITION WHEREIN SAID VALVE MEMBER CLOSES SAID WATER CONDUIT AND WHEREIN SAID PLATE CLOSES SAID CENTRAL APERTURE, SAID STEM HAVING ANOTHER POSITION WHEREIN SAID VALVE MEMBER PERMITS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID WATER CONDUIT AND SAID PASSAGES BUT CLOSES SAID FIRST APERTURE AND WHEREIN SAID PLATE PERMITS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID INNER CYLINDRICAL CHAMBER AND THE EXTERIOR OF SAID HOUSING, AND A FUSIBLE MEMBER SANDWICHED BETWEEN SAID PLATE AND SAID HOUSING AND BEING ADAPTED TO HOLD SAID PLATE TIGHTLY THEREAGAINST AND TO MAINTAIN SAID STEM IN SAID ONE POSITION, SAID FUSIBLE MEMBER BEING ADAPTED TO MELT AT A PREDETERMINED TEMPERATURE THEREBY SIMULTANEOUSLY RELEASING SAID PLATE FROM SAID HOUSING AND PREMITTING SAID STEM TO MOVE TO ITS OTHER POSITION WHEREBY WATER IS PERMITTED TO FLOW THROUGH SAID WATER CONDUIT, THROUGH SAID PASSAGES, THROUGH SAID ANNULAR CHAMBER, THROUGH SAID HOLES, THROUGH SAID INNER CYLINDRICAL CHAMBER AND THROUGH SAID CENTAL APERTURE, THE TANGENTIAL ARRANGEMENT OF SAID HOLES PROVIDING A ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT TO THE WATER FLOWING INTO SAID INNER CYLINDRICAL CHAMBER AND OUTWARDLY FROM SAID CENTRAL APERTURE. 